Subscriptions to state employment insurance increased by the smallest number in 17 years in January amid the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the labor ministry said Monday.

The number of subscribers reached 13.84 million in January, up 151,000, or 1.1 percent, from the same month last year, according to the ministry's monthly report on the labor market.

That figure is the smallest since February 2004, when the increase was 138,000. It is also less than the 155,000 recorded in May 2020 when the capital area saw a resurgence of COVID-19.

The "in-person" service sector appeared to be the hardest hit, with 54,000 fewer subscribers than last year in the hotel and restaurant industries. The ministry said it was the biggest decrease on record for the sector.

Subscribers in the public administration sector also rose by only 29,000, as most of the government's jobs programs wrapped up at the end of last year and new ones have yet to begin.

By contrast, the number of subscribers in the online service sector rose on the back of increased demand for socially distanced activities.

Those working in the online shopping and delivery industries were up 22,000 and 2,000, respectively, while those working in information services, including games and movies, added 5,000 more.

By age group, subscribers in their 40s, 50s and 60s or older increased, but those in their 20s fell by 25,000 and those in their 30s by 57,000.

The employment insurance program was introduced in 1995 to provide relief to those who lose their jobs and help jobseekers find employment by developing their skills. (Yonhap)